RealNetworks posts quarterly profit

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Digital media company RealNetworks on Thursday recorded a quarterly profit, compared a loss a year ago, on increased music subscriptions.

The Seattle-based company reported earnings of US$11.2 million or 6 US cents per share, in the third quarter, compared with a loss of US$7 million, or 4 US cents per share a year ago.

RealNetworks reached a settlement in its antitrust lawsuit against Microsoft earlier this month.

Excluding antitrust litigations costs that RealNetworks incurred in the September quarter, the company said it had a profit of US$14.7 million or 8 US cents per diluted share.

Revenues rose 20 percent to US$82.2 million from US$68.3 million in the third quarter of 2004.

Total paid subscribers rose to more than 2.2 million from 1.55 million a year earlier. Of the total paid subscribers, it had more than 1.3 million paid music subscribers who subscribe to RealNetwork's Rhapsody and other paid music services, up from 625,000 a year earlier.

collaboration digital media music download networking online music realnetworks